3.1 BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES - Structure of DNA and RNA, DNA replication, ATP. Water, Inorganic Ions Flashcards
What is the role of DNA?
- In all living cells
- Holds genetic information
- important for information carrying cells
What is RNA?
- in all living cells
- transfers genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes.
What is a nucleotide?
- consists of a pentose, a nitrogen-containing organic base and a phosphate group.
What bond is found between two nucleotides?
A phosphodiester bond.
What bases can DNA have?
- Adenine-Thymine
- Cytosine-Guanine
DNA has a ______ pentose
Deoxyribose
RNA has a ______ pentose
Ribose
What bases does RNA have?
- Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, Uracil.
What is the structure of DNA?
- a double helix with two polynucleotide chains held together by hydrogen bonds between base pairs
- Fairly long structure of about 2m.
How many H bonds does C-G have?
3.
How many H bonds does A-T have?
2.
What is the structure of RNA?
- a single polynucleotide chain
- relatively short.
- no hydrogen bonds between base pairs.
How is the DNA structure related to its function? (6)
- Hydrogen bonds (weak) can allow DNA to separate during DNA replication and protein synthesis.
- Large molecule so carries an immense amount of genetic information.
- Double helix and coiled so compact (a lot of it can fit in a small space)
- Base sequences allow information be be stored and codes for amino acids.
- Base pairs protected by phosphate backbone to protect it from being corrupted by outside chemical reactions.
- Stable structure which passes from generation to generation so rarely mutates.
How do the organic bases stabilise the structure of DNA?
There are many hydrogen bonds between the base pairs which provides strength.
What is semi-conservative replication?
Where DNA makes exact copies of itself to ensure genetic continuity between generations of cells.
What does the process of semi-conservative replication involve?
- DNA helix unwinds and the DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds between the complementary base pairs.
- Two strands of DNA are separated.
- New DNA nucleotides bind to exposed bases on the DNA template strand.
- DNA polymerase catalyses the condensation reaction that join adjacent nucleotides.
- All nucleotides are joined to complete polynucleotide chain where one half of the chain is new and one half is old.
What is DNA helicase?
an enzyme responsible for the unwinding of the DNA molecules by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs.